This invention relates generally to the restraint of cargo and more particularly to an improved load bar which acts to restrain cargo against undue shifting in cargo vehicles such as over-the-road trailers.
Load restraints of various types have long been used to hold cargo in place within trucks and other cargo vehicles. For example, if the cargo compartment of the vehicle is not completely full, it is necessary to provide a load barrier to prevent the cargo from moving into the vacant area of the cargo compartment. The upper tiers of stacked cargo items such as crates, boxes or other containers are susceptible to falling if not restrained. Cargo restraints are also used to separate the cargo in one area from the cargo that is carried in other areas of the cargo compartment.
The load bars that have been used in the past for this purpose often require tracks or slots on the vehicle walls which mate with the ends of the cargo bar. The need for tracks and other hardware adds to the costs and creates limitations in the positioning of the restraint bar because the bar can be located only where it aligns with the slots or other openings in the track.
Other types of bars are equipped with padded feet on the opposite bar ends in order to eliminate the need for tracks or other hardware. The end padded bars must be expanded tightly between the opposite walls in order to be secured in place with enough holding power to withstand the considerable forces that can be applied to them by the cargo. Spring loaded bars and jack type bars with ratchet mechanisms or screw mechanisms have been proposed for axially expanding the bars to provide enough holding power to secure them in place between the cargo compartment walls. All such mechanisms are subject to considerable mechanical wear and also to contamination of the expansion mechanism by rust, dirt and other foreign materials which can impair the ability of the mechanism to function effectively. In addition, the length adjustment of existing load bars is somewhat limited, and considerable time and effort are involved in adjusting the length because the ratchet mechanism must be operated over and over and the screw mechanism requires numerous turns before substantial length adjustment is effected. Many bars require separate locks that must be operated to lock the mechanism and to unlock it when the bar is to be removed.